30 Days in May Bonus: No. 31, John Mahler, 1972 Harbor Fuel Oil McLaren

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

John Mahler started 29th and finished 22nd in his first

Indianapolis 500 in 1972.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 31, John Mahler, 1972 Harbor Fuel Oil McLaren/Offy. We wrap up with John Mahler, who was one of eight rookies in the starting lineup for the 1972 Indianapolis 500. He actually qualified for the 1971 race but was “bumped” by his car owner, Dick Simon.

Mahler had qualified Simon’s back-up car in 1971, becoming the fastest rookie in 500 history in the process. But then Simon was bumped, so he took over Mahler’s ride for the race.

So began what was to be an interesting, colorful Indianapolis 500 career for Mahler, who made four starts from 1972 through 1979. In 1973, he was part of the Champ Carr Enterprises team with Sam Posey. Mahler likely would have made the race had he been allowed to complete either of his two qualifying attempts, both of which were tracking toward an average fast enough to make the race.

As it turned out, Posey was bumped and Jim McElreath took over Mahler’s car and made the field in the final minutes of qualifying.

Mahler’s best finish was in 1977, when he was credited with 14^th after getting some relief help from Larry “Boom Boom” Cannon. He almost squeezed into the 1983 lineup, accepting a speed that was some 27 mph off the pole speed with the hope that rain would curtail qualifying. The gamble almost paid off, but Mahler was knocked out by Dennis Firestone, who completed his run as showers hit.

In 1972, Mahler wound up 22^nd, sidelined by piston failure after 99 laps. A highlight film produced by Channel 6 in Indianapolis indicates that Mahler had to pull in before the start because he forgot his gloves.

30 Days in May: No. 30, Arie Luyendyk, 1990 Domino's Pizza Lola

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Arie Luyendyk won his first Indianapolis 500 in 1990 at a record

average speed of 185.981 mph.

30 Days in May: No. 30, Arie Luyendyk, 1990 Domino’s Pizza Lola/Chevrolet. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 30 years since Arie Luyendyk won his first Indianapolis 500 (and first IndyCar race) after starting third. Domino’s chose the number 30 as a tie-in to its “30 minutes or less” delivery guarantee, a slogan that eventually was abandoned in the interests of safety. The Flying Dutchman added another 500 win in 1997 and still holds the one-lap and four-lap qualifying records, which he set in 1996.

Side note: In 1990, barely a year out of college, I covered practice, qualifying and the race for the Logansport (Indiana) Pharos-Tribune, where I was the Assistant Sports Editor. I was fortunate enough to get a one-on-one interview with Mr. Luyendyk, who was extremely gracious answering what likely were novice-level questions. Also, against all professional protocol, at the end of the interview I asked for an autograph for my then-girlfriend (and now wife of almost 28 years), which he signed. And we still have. Thanks, Arie!

30 Days in May: No. 29, Pancho Carter, 1987 Hardee's March

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Pancho Carter started 29th and finished 27th in the 

1987 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 29, Pancho Carter, 1987 Hardee’s March/Cosworth. Pancho Carter, the 1974 Rookie of the Year, was a steady presence in the 500 lineup through 1991, missing only the 1988 race. His big day came in 1985, when he won the pole with a Buick-powered machine. The “TT” indicates this car was a backup to a backup, which was the result of Carter taking a "header" in practice in his primary car, then withdrawing his backup car to qualify this one. 

During this time, the Hardee’s restaurants in the Indianapolis area gave out trading cards of IndyCar drivers if you made a certain purchase. It sure would nice to have a set of cards again.

30 Days in May: No. 28, Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 DHL Dallara

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Doug Mathews/Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

In his Indianapolis 500 career, Ryan Hunter-Reay has both started

last (2011) and won the race (2014).

30 Days in May: No. 28, Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 DHL Dallara/Honda. Ryan Hunter-Reay became the first 500’s U.S.-born winner since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006 when he held off Helio Castroneves to cap a thrilling duel. Hard, clean and precise racing in the closing laps made the 2014 race one of the most memorable.

30 Days in May: No. 27, Janet Guthrie, 1977 Bryant Heating and Cooling Lightning

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Janet Guthrie finished 29th in her first Indianapolis 500 in 1977.

30 Days in May: No. 27, Janet Guthrie, 1977 Bryant Heating and Cooling Lightning/Offy. Janet Guthrie was something of a retread rookie in 1977 after trying valiantly the year before to make the race in a Vollstedt that was, to put it mildly, a bit long in the tooth.

Updated equipment made a big difference for Guthrie the next year, as she made the field comfortably on the last day of qualifying. Mechanical woes doomed her to 29^th place. She made the race the next two years, with a best finish of ninth in 1978. It wasn’t until 1992 that another woman, Lyn St. James, qualified for the 500.

Bryant has been a sponsor at Indianapolis since the furnace and the air conditioner were invented (just kidding). Look for their logo on Tony Kanaan’s car in August.

30 Days in May: No. 26, Marco Andretti, 2006 NYSE Group Dallara

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Dan Helrigel/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Marco Andretti came within a few feet of winning the 

Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in 2006.

30 Days in May: No. 26, Marco Andretti, 2006 NYSE Group Dallara/Honda. Say this for Marco Andretti: He added to the family legacy of Indianapolis 500 frustration and heartbreak right off the bat. As a 19-year-rookie, Andretti led coming out of Turn 4 on the last lap before Sam Hornish Jr. blew past to nip him by 0.0635 of a second.

Last year, nothing went right on Race Day as the third-generation driver wound up 26^th. Overall, Andretti has run well at Indianapolis, with eight top 10 finishes in 14 previous starts entering this year’s (hopefully August) race.

30 Days in May: No. 25, Danny Ongais, 1978 Interscope Racing Parnelli

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

In the 1978 Indianapolis 500, Danny Ongais started second

and led 71 laps, but was out with a blown engine after 145 laps.

30 Days in May: No. 25, Danny Ongais, 1978 Interscope Racing Parnelli/Cosworth. Some cars and drivers just sum up an era at Indianapolis and are indelibly linked. While not a legend of the Brickyard like, say, A.J. Foyt or Rick Mears, if you went to the track in the late 1970s to mid-1980s, you remember Danny Ongais and the black Interscope No. 25.

Danny On the Gas was fast, fearless and spectacular (in both good and bad ways). When Tom Carnegie or John Totten piped up on the PA system that Ongais was on the track, you paused from munching your Sno-Cone and gave the 2 ½-mile oval your undivided attention.

In 1978, the Flying Hawaiian started second and led 71 laps before the engine blew. Ongais wound up 18^th with 145 laps to his credit.  

30 Days in May: No. 24, Robbie Buhl, 2001 Purex G Force

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Robbie Buhl challenged for the lead in the 2001 Indianapolis 500, 

but spun on Lap 166 and would up 15th.

30 Days in May: No. 24, Robbie Buhl, 2001 Purex G Force/Infiniti. Robbie Buhl was one of the drivers who benefited from the infamous split in open-wheel racing. The former Indy Lights champion (1992) had trouble finding a good ride in CART, but the arrival of the Indy Racing League in 1996 provided an opportunity to finally show his talent.

He had success with both John Menard and Dreyer & Reinbold, winning a race for each. Buhl’s Purex machine was one of the more striking liveries of that era. In 2001, he started ninth and finished 15^th in the 500.

Buhl competed in the 500 from 1996-2003 with a best finish of sixth in 1999 driving for A.J. Foyt. The Buhl family is quite prominent in the history of his Detroit, and Buhl Sport Detroit in Corktown, the ciity’s oldest neighborhood, is very active with several initiatives, projects and businesses. They’re also lending support to help run Spencer Pigot in this year’s 500.

30 Days in May: No. 23, Floyd Roberts, 1938 Burd Piston Ring Special

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Floyd Roberts started from the pole and led 92 laps to win the

1938 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 23, Floyd Roberts, 1938 Burd Piston Ring Special Wetteroth/Miller. The first Indianapolis 500 program I got was from the 1973 race. I would spend time poring over its contents, absorbing various facts and figures about the race – sort of a 5-year-old Donald Davidson.

Of particular interest to me was Wilbur Shaw’s success from 1937-40. (The summary for each of these races was listed on one page.) I noticed that had it not been for Floyd Roberts winning in 1938 that Shaw would’ve won the 500 four times in a row.

At this time, A.J. Foyt was trying to become the first four-time winner, a feat he finally achieved in 1977. Anyway, Roberts, who started from the pole, beat Shaw by a wide margin (more than four minutes), but Shaw, so vital in helping the Speedway survive after World War II, won in 1939 and 1940 to become the first back-to-back winner.

The Sounds of Carb Day 2017

I miss this sound. A lot.

30 Days in May: No. 22, Tony Stewart, 1999 The Home Depot Dallara

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Tony Stewart finished ninth in the 1999 Indianapolis 500 You might notice

that for his official qualifying photo, he's positioned at the end of the pits. 

That's because after qualifying, Stewart had to immediately head to 

Charlotte for NASCAR commitments. I'm guessing the photo shoot

took place at a later date. 

30 Days in May: No. 22, Tony Stewart, 1999 The Home Depot Dallara/Oldsmobile. Tony Stewart was the first homegrown star of the Indy Racing League. His pedigree was perfect: An Indiana native who won USAC national titles in Midgets, Sprints and Silver Crown cars (all in the same season!) who proved immediately adept at driving Indy cars, too, winning races and a championship in those as well.

After running in the IRL from 1996 to 1998, Stewart became a full-time NASCAR driver, appearing in the 500 just two more times (1999 and 2001). Stewart was fast right off the bat in stock cars, too, and finished his NASCAR career with three Cup titles and two wins in the Brickyard 400.

In the 1999 Indianapolis 500, Stewart finished ninth, four laps down to winner Kenny Brack. But Stewart’s workday was just beginning, because he flew from Indianapolis to Charlotte, North Carolina, to compete in the 600-mile NASCAR race that night and finished an impressive fourth.

30 Days in May Bonus: No 66 Mark Donohue, 1970 Sunoco Lola

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 66, Mark Donohue, 1970 Sunoco Lola/Ford. Roger Penske’s dynasty at Indianapolis started with a soft-spoken mechanical engineer from Pennsylvania. Mark Donohue’s precise, analytical approach was the perfect complement to Penske as they worked together to find “The Unfair Advantage.”

In 1970, Donohue looked to improve his Rookie of the Year performance of 1969, when he finished seventh. He did so, taking second behind Al Unser. In 1971, Donohue shattered the track record on an almost-daily basis in practice, then won the 1972 race, giving Penske his first of 18 (and counting) Indianapolis 500 victories. Donohue raced only five times at Indianapolis, never starting worse than fifth.

30 Days in May: No. 21, Cale Yarborough, 1971 Gene White Firestone Mongoose

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 21, Cale Yarborough, 1971 Gene White Firestone Mongoose/Ford. A three-time consecutive Cup champion and four-time Daytona 500 winner, Cale Yarborough was a legendary driver in NASCAR. For the 1971 season, however, he found himself “between manufacturers” on the stock-car circuit, so Yarborough basically ended up being a full-time Championship (IndyCar) division shoe in USAC.

He finished 16^th in the point standings in 1971, with a pair of fifth-place finishes (at the first Trenton race and at Michigan) his best results. At Indianapolis, Yarborough started 14^th and finished 16^th, retiring with a cam failure after 140 laps. He made the last of his four Indianapolis starts in 1972, when he finished 10^th.

30 Days in May: No. 20, Gordon Johncock, 1975 Sinmast Wildcat

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 20, Gordon Johncock, 1975 Sinmast Wildcat/DGS. Starting in 1973 and over the next 10-plus years, Gordon Johncock was synonymous with the number 20 and Patrick Racing. For 1975, he had a new sponsor, a new chassis and a new engine. It all added up to a fast combination, as Johncock was among the leaders every day in practice and held the pole for a while before A.J. Foyt nudged him aside with a run late in the day. 

Johncock jumped to the lead at the start of the race, but fell out after just 11 laps and finished 31^st. DGS stood for Drake, Goosen and Sparks, the last names of engine pioneers Dale Drake, Leo Goosen and Art Sparks. The name was something of a tribute by George Bignotti, who helped modify an Offy engine to create the DGS.

30 Days in May: No. 19, Mel Kenyon, Atlanta Falcons Eagle

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 19, Mel Kenyon, 1973 Atlanta Falcons Eagle/Foyt. Considered one of the true gentlemen in the sport, Mel Kenyon had several top finishes at Indianapolis and is considered the best USAC Midget driver in history. His longevity is particularly amazing. Some 30 years after his last start in the 500, Kenyon was still racing at age 70! Even more incredible, Kenyon was severely burned in a crash in 1965 and raced with a special glove with a device that fit in the steering wheel – amazing determination and will.

For the 1973 season, Kenyon teamed up again with longtime owner Lindsey Hopkins. I’m not sure if Hopkins owned a part of the Atlanta Falcons or why exactly the NFL team sponsored the car, but pro teams backing cars were not unknown at Indianapolis during this era. 

In 1971, for example, Lloyd Ruby drove the Utah Stars special. While Ruby was certainly popular with the Indianapolis fans, his sponsor likely wasn’t because the Stars were a rival of the hometown Indiana Pacers and had quite a few tussles during the ABA playoffs. 

Anyway, back to Kenyon. He finished fourth in the 1973 500 in what ended up being his final race at the Speedway. 

30 Days in May: No. 18, Lloyd Ruby, Commander Motor Homes Eagle

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 18, Lloyd Ruby, 1973 Commander Motor Homes Eagle/Offy. The quiet Texan always ranks high on the list of “Drivers who should have won the 500.” And with good reason. Lloyd Ruby, for example, led the most laps in the 1966 race and often was a top contender in other 500s before being sidelined with mechanical woes. In 1973, he was out after 21 laps with a broken piston, finishing 27^th.

Side note: It's hard to see, but Ruby was still using an open-face helmet - one of the last to do so at Indianapolis. 

30 Days in May: No. 17, Willy T. Ribbs, 1991 Cosby/McDonald's Lola

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

Photo credit: 1991 Indianapolis 500 Yearbook Published by Carl Hungness

Willy T. Ribbs qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 in 1991.

30 Days in May: No. 17, Willy T. Ribbs, 1991 Cosby/McDonald’s Lola/Buick. Willy T. Ribbs had a devil of a time qualifying for his first Indianapolis 500 because the ever-temperamental Buick engine would fail after only a handful of laps. In the last hour of qualifying, Ribbs shoved aside the frustration, shelved any jinxes and put it in the show, bumping Ton Sneva in the process. 

The mechanical gremlins returned on race day, however, and Ribbs lasted only five laps and finished 32^nd.  Like many others, I highly recommend the documentary “Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story” to learn more about Ribbs’ career.

30 Days in May: No. 16, Lee Kunzman, 1973 Ayr-Way/Lloyd's Eagle

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 16, Lee Kunzman, 1973 Ayr-Way/Lloyd’s Eagle/Offy. Lee Kunzman was considered a rising star in the USAC ranks before his career was derailed by some serious crashes. In 1973, he joined the Lindsey Hopkins team and moved up from 25^th to finish seventh in the rain-shortened race. This was a very good year for Hopkins as all three of his cars were in the top 10: Roger McCluskey was third and Mel Kenyon fourth in addition to Kunzman in seventh. After his driving career, Kunzman was part of Ron Hemelgarn’s operation for many years.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 93, Johnny Parsons, 1975 Ayr-Way/WNAP "Buzzard"

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Ayr-Way WNAP "Buzzard" driven by Johnny Parsons in the 1975

Indianapolis 500 was certainly a colorful car.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 93, Johnny Parsons, 1975 Ayr-Way/WNAP “Buzzard”: Cars entered in the Indianapolis 500 certainly have had interesting, colorful names. One of my favorites was the Ayr-Way/WNAP “Buzzard” from 1975. This name may not make sense today – especially if you’re not from Indianapolis – but it was definitely a product of the times.

Ayr-Way was spun off L.S. Ayres, one of the top fashion stores in Indianapolis. Ayr-Way was a department store similar to Target – in fact, many of the Indianapolis locations became Target stores after Ayr-Way folded in the late 1970s. (Squint hard enough and maybe you can see the old Ayr-Way flower where the Target bull’s eye is now.)

We often went to the Ayr-Way on Lafayette Road because it had just about everything – even a garden center. WNAP was a hard-rock station teeming with many interesting personalities; the buzzard was the station mascot. It was at 93.1 on the FM dial, so that’s why it was Car 93.

Because I was only 7 years old, I didn’t listen to WNAP. My parents were strictly WIBC (1070 AM), which was fine because WIBC covered qualifications and had updates from the track that I would listen to when I got home from school while allegedly doing my homework.

This was very much an Indianapolis-centric team. In addition to the two local sponsors, driver Johnny Parsons lived in central Indiana for many years (perhaps even Speedway itself). He’s the son of 1950 winner Johnnie Parsons (note the different spellings) and originally was from California but moved to Indiana to jump-start his racing career.

The chief mechanic (remember those?) was Bill Finley, who basically built race cars out of his garage in Eagledale, a subdivision within earshot of the track. (My first house was in Eagledale: 3031 Fuller Drive. Carl Wilde School 79 represent!)

The team also had a second entry: Car 94, driven by Mike Hiss.

Race day wasn’t the greatest for either driver. Hiss spun out on Lap 39 and finished 29th. Parsons ran as high as fifth before transmission woes sidelined him after 140 laps. He finished 19th.

Ayr-Way heavily promoted its involvement with the 500. In addition to buttons, there were posters, large ads in the Indianapolis papers (there were two of them back then) and even a timing and scoring chart with Parsons’ likeness.

Today, interestingly, WNAP’s old FM spot is occupied by WIBC.

30 Days in May: No. 15, Peter Revson, 1973 Gulf McLaren

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 15, Peter Revson, 1973 Gulf McLaren/Offy. A front-row starter the previous two 500s, Peter Revson was the first qualifier for the 1973 race. He wound up starting 10^th and finished 31^st after crashing coming out of Turn 4 after only three laps. That year, I remember my mom taking me to a drug store in the Speedway Shopping Center to meet Revson, who was promoting Rev-Up vitamins, and get an autographed picture, which I still have.

This display I had made many years ago is a bit worse for wear, but it shows
a post card of Peter Revson's 1971 pole-winning McLaren, his 1972 front-row
Gulf McLaren, the autographed photo I got in 1973 plus a summary of his
career that I wrote. 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @ArrowMcLarenSP

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 62, Wally Dallenbach, 1973 Olsonite Eagle

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

You just don't see the No. 62 in the Indianapolis 500. But Wally Dallenbach

put this Olsonite Eagle in the show in 1973.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 62, Wally Dallenbach, 1973 Olsonite Eagle/Offy. Then calling East Brunswick, New Jersey, home Wally Dallenbach was about to enter a major career upswing, though not with Dan Gurney’s All American Racers. 

Dallenbach’s oddly numbered No. 62 joined AAR holdovers Bobby Unser (8) and Jerry Grant (48) for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. In the race, Dallenbach is best remembered for helping rescue Salt Walther from his burning and battered car after his horrendous first-lap accident.

Once the race finally got under way – two days later – Dallenbach made a nice charge from his 20^th starting position into the top 10 before a broken connecting rod bolt (a common malady that year) sidelined him after 48 laps, resulting in a 24^th-place finish.

Dallenbach joined the STP/Patrick team later in 1973, winning the California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway. Save for a one-year sabbatical with Jerry O’Connell’s Sugaripe Prune team in 1978, Dallenbach remained with Patrick the rest of his career, retiring after the 1979 season. He returned to the cockpit in 1981 to qualify a Patrick car for Mario Andretti, who was unavailable due to Formula One commitments.

After retiring as a driver, Dallenbach enjoyed a second career as a much-respected official in CART. Finally, I believe 1973 is the last time No. 62 was used in the 500. 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 14, Roger McCluskey, 1972 American Marine Underwriters Antares

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Roger McCluskey drove the radical Antares in the 1972 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 14, Roger McCluskey, 1972 American Marine Underwriters Antares/Offy. As chronicled in some of our other entries, 1972 was a year of dramatic change at Indianapolis. This change included how cars were built. Antares Engineering, Inc., based in Troy, Michigan (a city where I used to work), jumped into Indy car construction with cars for both the Lindsey Hopkins and Patrick-Michner teams, according to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 1972 Press/TV/Radio Fact Book.

A supposed advantage of the Antares was that it was purported to be completely designed by computers and telemetry, a radically new concept. A key distinguishing feature was the boat-shaped front end to help aerodynamics.

Unfortunately, the Antares performed better in the lab than on the track. McCluskey, a capable veteran, qualified 20^th and finished 24^th, exiting with valve trouble after 92 laps. Trivia time: This was the last time someone other than A.J. Foyt, or a Foyt driver, used the No. 14 at Indianapolis.

The Hopkins team abandoned the Antares after Indianapolis in favor of a McLaren, which McCluskey drove to victory in that year’s California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway. McCluskey used a McLaren quite successfully in 1973 as well, winning the USAC national championship.

The Antares popped up here and there as the alleged chassis for Indianapolis 500 entries for the rest of the decade. In 1979, Eldon Rasmussen heavily reworked an Antares, then called a Manta, and qualified for the race – a tremendous testament to his talent as a builder/fabricator and skill as a driver.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 71, Rick Mears, 1978 CAM2 Penske PC 6

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Rick Mears qualified on the front row for his first Indianapolis 500 start

in 1978. Overall, Mears started on the front row 11 out of 15 times in his 500

career, including a record six poles.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 71, Rick Mears, 1978 CAM2 Penske PC6/Cosworth. After trying unsuccessfully to qualify for the 500 as a rookie in 1977, Rick Mears caught the eye of Roger Penske and was offered a ride in races that Mario Andretti could not compete in due to Formula One commitments. Mears eagerly accepted the offer, which also included the Indianapolis 500. The Bakersfield, California, native justified Penske’s confidence by grabbing the outside spot on the front row, setting a rookie qualifying record in the process.

Race day wasn’t great, as Mears forgot to buckle his helmet at the start and then had his engine let go just after halfway and finished 23^rd. Still, the outstanding performance in time trials helped Mears earn Co-Rookie of the Year with Larry Rice. Mears’ number, 71, is rarely used at the Speedway, but I think the reason why Penske used that number is because his other entries were 7 (Andretti) and 1 (Tom Sneva), so he just combined the two. (Dick Simon had 17 that year, in case you were wondering.)

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @Team_Penske

30 Days in May: No. 13, Greg Ray, 2004 Access Motorsports G Force

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit:Dan Helrigel/Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Greg Ray often was a spectacular qualifier for the Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 13, Greg Ray, 2004 Access Motorsports G Force/Honda. Fast and brave, Greg Ray was one of the stars of the early days of the Indy Racing League. He started on the front row for the Indianapolis 500 four straight times (1998-2001), including topping Juan Pablo Montoya for the pole in 2000. Ray also won the IRL title in 1999, driving for John Menard.

In terms of speed, Ray was sort of the Danny Ongais of the IRL. And like Ongais, Ray unfortunately crashed a lot – he was eliminated due to an accident in four of his eight career Indy starts from 1997-2004. In Ray’s final Indy appearance in 2004, he started and finished 27^th, going out after 98 laps because of a wreck.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 12, Bobby Allison, 1973 Sunoco DX McLaren

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 12, Bobby Allison, 1973 Sunoco DX McLaren/Offy. It’s always great when a star driver from another discipline takes on the challenge of the Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately, mechanical problems sidelined Bobby Allison from the get-go and he finished 32^nd after just 1 lap. The NASCAR ace returned in 1975, but the results weren’t much better as Allison finished 25^th in that race. On the other hand, Bobby’s brother Donnie did quite well in his two Indianapolis 500 appearances. Donnie Allison finished fourth in 1970 and sixth in 1971, completing 399 out of a possible 400 laps. 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @Team_Penske

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 73, David Hobbs, 1973 Carling Black Label Eagle

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

David Hobbs started 22nd and finished 11th in the 1973 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 73, David Hobbs, 1973 Carling Black Label Eagle/Offy. As a 5-year-old in 1973, in addition to trying to memorize the car numbers, drivers, chassis and engine, I tried to memorize the hometowns of all the drivers in the Indianapolis 500. Some were more easily remembered than others. 

Take David Hobbs, for instance. He was from Upper Boddington, England. Tough to forget that one. Hobbs was one of the few international competitors during this era, with four starts spanning 1971-76. In 1973, he was still running when the race was red-flagged and finished 11^th. 

A versatile and successful driver, Hobbs competed in several disciplines, including Formula One, Indycar, Can-Am, Trans-Am and even NASCAR Winston Cup. He also was an insightful and witty commentator on broadcasts, and he still pops up occasionally on TV. 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @MrDavidHobbs

30 Days in May: No. 11, Jimmy Caruthers, 1972 U.S. Armed Forces/Steed Special

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Jimmy Caruthers started 31st and finished ninth in his first

Indianapolis 500 in 1972

30 Days in May: No. 11, Jimmy Caruthers, 1972 U.S. Armed Forces/Steed Scorpion/Foyt. This is a car I vividly remember from one of my early excursions to the track as a 4-year-old – probably because of the gleaming yellow paint. Jimmy Caruthers was a throwback to the traditional way of earning a ride in the Indianapolis 500, starting in quarter-midgets before graduating to full-size midgets (that sounds funny, doesn’t it?) and sprint cars.

He won the USAC midget championship in 1970 and had eyes on qualifying for the 1971 Indianapolis 500 as a teammate to Art Pollard on the Gilmore Racing team. Unfortunately, Pollard was bumped so he took over the car and snagged a starting spot in the last row.

Caruthers returned the next year and, interestingly, started in the same position as Pollard the year before (31^st). 1972 was a tremendous year of change with huge wings becoming the norm on the state-of-the-art Eagles and McLarens. Smaller, low-budget teams, like the Caruthers’, innovated as best they could. You can see a bit of do-it-yourself aerodynamic solutions as mechanics tried to wring performance out of older cars.

Caruthers drove a steady race to finish ninth, one of three rookies in the top 10 that year behind Sam Posey (fifth) and Mike Hiss (seventh). He moved to Bob Fletcher’s Cobre Tire team for the next two years. His final Indianapolis 500 was in 1975 driving the Alex Foods “Tamale Wagon” for the Morales brothers.

Sadly, just weeks after winning the 1975 USAC Dirt Car title (now the Silver Crown division), Caruthers died of cancer at age 30.

The Caruthers, like the Bettenhausens and Vukoviches, are a true racing family who endured incredible tragedy. Another son, Danny, had won the 1971 USAC Midget title, then died in a crash. Carl Hungness wrote a moving tribute to Jimmy Caruthers in his 1976 Indianapolis 500 Yearbook. Also, Hal Higdon chronicled Caruthers’ life in “Summer of Triumph,” which is long out of print but definitely worth seeking out. 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 10, Michael Andretti, 1991 Kmart-Havoline Lola

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 10, Michael Andretti, 1991 Kmart-Havoline Lola/Chevrolet. What’s May without an Andretti “almost”? This was the closest Michael came to winning the Indianapolis 500, finishing second to Rick Mears after a breathtaking duel in the late stages. In his Indianapolis 500 career, Michael Andretti led 431 laps, 0 wins. Rick Mears led 429 laps at Indy, 4 wins.  He’s had great success as a car owner in the Indianapolis 500, though, with five victories. #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @FollowAndretti @michaelandretti

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 48, Mike Mosley, 1981 Pepsi Challenger Eagle

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Mike Mosley started from the middle of the front row for the 

1981 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 48, Mike Mosley, 1981 Pepsi Challenger Eagle/Chevrolet. Stunning, fast and loud, 1981 was the only appearance of the Pepsi Challenger at Indianapolis. Always an innovator, Dan Gurney was trying to bring stock-block engines to Indy racing as a lower-cost alternative to the Cosworth engines, which were used by (almost) everyone else. In terms of speed, this car proved his point as Mosley put it in the middle of the front row.

The sound of this screaming Eagle is almost impossible to describe. It had a distinctive roar – in some ways, perhaps, it was the Novi of its generation. In other words, if you heard it, you never forgot it. The distinctive shape and color of the Eagle made it look like a dart hurtling down the straightaway.

Consistent with the lousy fortune Mosley endured at Indianapolis, he went out after 16 laps with a radiator issue, placing 33^rd. At Milwaukee a couple of weeks later, Mosley won, going from last to first in an incredible driving display. It was the last of his five wins in Indy cars and the last for Gurney in Indy-car competition as well. #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 9, Mario Andretti, 1977 CAM 2 McLaren

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Mario Andretti was the first to exceed 200 mph in practice for the

1977 Indianapolis 500. 

30 Days in May: No. 9, Mario Andretti, 1977 CAM 2 McLaren/Cosworth. In 1977, Mario Andretti, was in his second year with Penske following a largely disappointing four seasons with Vel’s Parnelli Jones. It appeared that big things were in store for Andretti after he became the first to unofficially crack the 200 mph mark in practice with a lap at 200.311 mph on the electric eye, which was used in the days before transponders and such. The right combination eluded Andretti on Pole Day, however, as he had to settle for an average of 192.061 mph and sixth starting position while his teammate, Tom Sneva, became the first to officially smash the 200 mph barrier and won the pole. Race Day, as usual, was frustrating as well as a broken header sent Andretti to the sidelines after 47 laps and he finished 26th. #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @MarioAndretti @Team_Penske

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 44, Dick Simon, 1973 TraveLodge Eagle

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Dick Simon started 27th and finished 14th in the 1973 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 44, Dick Simon, 1973 TraveLodge Eagle/Foyt. I miss guys like Dick Simon around the Speedway. Energetic and enthusiastic, Simon was an outstanding ski jumper and parachutist before he pursued a career in Indy cars. Had the X Games been around in the 1960s, he probably would’ve been a star. 

As for Indianapolis, Simon usually was saddled with marginal equipment that he had to hustle into the show. His 1973 mount was pretty decent though, and Simon ran up front before piston failure sent him to the sidelines for a 14^th-place finish. Toward the end of his career, Simon obtained better cars, leading to better results – he was sixth and ninth in his last two races in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Simon is bald, but he donned a toupee for this spot in the 1973 Indianapolis 500 program. #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 8, Tom Sneva, 1977 Norton Spirit

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 8, Tom Sneva, 1977 Norton Spirit McLaren/Cosworth. Tom Sneva was the first to officially lap the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at over 200 mph, with a speed of 200.401 on the first lap of his qualifying run, then broke his record on the next lap at 200.535 mph. The four-lap average of 198.884 mph fell a bit short of 200 but was more than enough for Sneva to secure the first of three poles at Indianapolis. Interestingly, each time Sneva sat on the pole, he set the track record. In 1977, Sneva was second to A.J. Foyt, who won his historic fourth 500. #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @Team_Penske

30 Days in May: No. 7, Johnny Rutherford, 1973 Gulf McLaren

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 7, Johnny Rutherford, 1973 Gulf McLaren/Offy. After some lean years, Johnny Rutherford joined McLaren for the 1973 season and  was the closest to achieving the magic 200 mph lap in qualifying. The third lap of his run, 199.071 mph, was just 21/100ths of a second short. Dogged by mechanical trouble, Rutherford finished a disappointing ninth in the race. Better days were ahead for both Rutherford and McLaren, with two Indianapolis 500 wins in the next three years.  #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @ArrowMcLarenSP

30 Days in May: No. 6, Bobby Unser, 1972 Olsonite Eagle

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 6, Bobby Unser, 1972 Olsonite Eagle/Offy. I think it’s fair to say that Bobby Unser did something in 1972 that will never happen again: He jumped the pole speed by more than 17 mph with a four-lap average of 195.940 mph, including one lap of 196.678 mph. The combination of aerodynamics (in the form of giant wings), better tires, basically unlimited engines and extremely brave drivers meant that everyone in the lineup for the 1972 Indianapolis 500 qualified faster than the 1971 pole speed, which was a comparatively paltry 178.696 mph.

Unser ran away from everyone at the start, leading the first 30 laps. He was out after Lap 31, however, with a bad ignition rotor – something that almost never fails. His 30^th-place finish was the worst for a pole-sitter in the 1970s.  #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 5, Gary Bettenhausen, 1973 Sunoco DX McLaren

OK, so this year’s Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May is more than just a month – it’s state of mind. So let’s still celebrate great cars and drivers of the past anyway!

30 Days in May: No. 5, Gary Bettenhausen 1973 Sunoco DX McLaren/Offy. After dominating the 1972 race, Gary Bettenhausen was the favorite to win the 1973 500. Instead, he had to settle for a numbers quirk: Bettenhausen started 5^th and finished 5^th in car no. 5.  #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @Team_Penske